{"product_id":"from-the-steel-city-to-the-white-city-western-pennsylvania-and-the-worlds-columbian-exposition-9780822947912","title":"From the Steel City to the White City: Western Pennsylvania and the World's Columbian Exposition","description":"In \u003ci\u003eFrom the Steel City to the White City\u003c\/i\u003e, Zachary Brodt explores Western Pennsylvania's representation at Chicago's Columbian Exposition, the first major step in demonstrating that Pittsburgh was more than simply America's crucible--it was also a region of developing culture and innovation. The 1893 Columbian Exposition presented a chance for the United States to prove to the world that it was an industrial giant ready to become a global superpower. At the same time, Pittsburgh, a commercial center that formerly served as a starting point for western expansion, found itself serving as a major transportation, and increasingly industrial, hub during this period of extensive growth. Natural resources like petroleum and coal allowed Western Pennsylvania to become one of the largest iron- and steel-producing regions in the world. The Chicago fairgrounds provided a lucrative opportunity for area companies not only to provide construction materials but to display the region's many products. While Pittsburgh's most famous contributions to the 1893 World's Fair--alternating current electricity and the Ferris wheel--had a lasting impact on the United States and the world, other exhibits provided a snapshot of the area's industries, natural resources, and inventions. The success of these exhibits, Brodt reveals, launched local companies into the twentieth century, ensuring a steady flow of work, money, and prestige.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eZachary L. Brodt\u003c\/b\u003e is the university archivist and records manager at the University of Pittsburgh Library System. He is currently a member of the Pennsylvania Historical Association, Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference, and Society of American Archivists.\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"University of Pittsburgh Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50643015860498,"sku":"9780822947912","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_87b80675-ef6d-440e-bd05-b28815f8f02f.jpg?v=1737259854","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/from-the-steel-city-to-the-white-city-western-pennsylvania-and-the-worlds-columbian-exposition-9780822947912","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}